Analyzing Primary SourcesUsing primary sources to gain a greater knowledge of history

What are primary sources?= Documents created at the time of your event being studied; these documents are directly connected with the events or people being researched.

• Diaries, Journals• Speeches, Interviews• Letters, Memos• Autobiographies, memoirs• Books/Articles written at the time of event• Government documents• Photographs• Creative works (poems, music, art)• Court Records, Transcripts

What are secondary sources?= Documents created at a later time than the event being studied, by someone who did not experience the event themselves

• Biographies• Journal Articles• Most published books• Textbooks• Encyclopedias• Paraphrased Quotations• Magazines

P.E.R.S.I.A.

In this class we will be using the acronym, PERSIA, to analyze primary source documents

P - Political; Who is in charge?

E - Economic; How do people make a living?

R - Religion; What do people believe?

S - Social; How do people relate to one another?

I - Intellectual/Arts; How do people learn? How do people express themselves?

A - Area/Geography; How does where people live impact how they live?

P.E.R.S.I.A.

Political• Structure

(Government)• War / Treaties• Leaders• Popular Participation• Loyalty to leader

Economic• Trade / Industry• Agriculture• Labor Systems• Technology• Money System• Slave Labor

Religion• Importance on societal

interaction• Holy Books• Beliefs / Teachings• Sin / Salvation• Deities

Social• Family Order • Gender Relations• Social Classes• Entertainment• Life Styles

Intellectual • Art & Music• Writing / Literature• Philosophy• Math / Science• Education• Inventions

Area • Geography• Location• Physical • Movement• Human / Environment